Broadband Communities

NOV-DEC 2016

BROADBAND COMMUNITIES is the leading source of information on digital and broadband technologies for buildings and communities. Our editorial aims to accelerate the deployment of Fiber-To-The-Home and Fiber-To-The-Premises.

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016
PROVIDER PERSPECTIVE
H
ere's a scenario I encounter often: A property owner
client has a service-related problem – let's say slow
internet or unreliable speeds. e owner calls me,
and I contact the service provider.
en the games begin.
e service provider "looks into the problem" by pulling
up data from the network operations center, running through
recent trouble ticket histories and maybe taking a few meter
readings in the field. "Everything seems OK on our end," the
provider reports. "We don't see a problem with our network.
Should be good."
I send the update back to the property owner. After a brief
email exchange with the on-site management staff, the owner
responds, "e problem is definitely not resolved, and as of
this morning, it has gotten worse. e manager reports that
all her residents are in the office nonstop because they can't
use the internet."
Upon going back to the service provider a second time, I
reiterate the problem. But the service provider staff digs in.
"You don't understand," staff members tell me. "We examined
the numbers. e data are right. e residents should be
experiencing great bandwidth without any interruptions."
"e client doesn't care about your stupid numbers," I
point out. "Look, you have an unhappy property owner and
on-site staff. Are you done checking on this problem?"
e engineers now get defensive. "No problem here.
We've checked all our diagnostics." e MDU salesperson
doesn't even respond to the first couple of emails. He finally
calls with a sense of agitation. "Look, I already received my
commission for signing that agreement. I even took time off
from my busy sales calendar to visit with the manager once
before we launched. I think her residents aren't giving her an
accurate picture of the situation."
Well, he's wrong. ey are actually giving her the perfect
picture of the situation.
PERCEPTION DEFINES THE PROBLEM
e business of providing broadband service is not just
about the network. Too many companies hide behind the
quantitative data from their networks.
Suppose the network is performing as it should, but
some residents experience poor service quality because they
purchased inadequate routers. By not owning the problem on
the front end, the provider allows the MDU owner to build a
narrative that the company doesn't care about residents and
that occupancy is being affected by this internet service issue.
e client perception of the problem is the definition of
the problem, regardless of the issue. My advice to the service
provider isn't to suddenly become a lab scientist who reviews
data from the network operations center or readings from the
field. It's not necessary to second-guess your engineers. Rather,
attack the problem as if it is the top priority of your day. Own
it, communicate quickly and show concern about the issue.
I do recognize that this isn't a one-sided issue. Sometimes
a property manager can cry wolf based on one or two
complaints. "It's happening to everyone on my property; your
company is awful!" can mean, in fact, that two residents in
one building have a problem.
Resolving a problem can be difficult without specific
information from MDU staff. I always advise service providers
to request specifics. How many units are complaining? Do you
know whether they have contacted the provider yet? Is this a
recent issue or one that occurred in the past?
"Look, I am not running an ISP," a property manager
might say. "I don't have those answers." But I still suggest an
attempt to capture specifics in an effort to define the problem.
e key, however, is how a service provider handles the
situation. Do you simply email the manager and then send
a report defending your fancy network? Or do you quickly
prepare a team to visit the manager in person and create a
dialogue and a process to resolve the concern?
Yes, it's all about "perceptions." But these are the same
perceptions that lead to renewal agreements or to early
termination notices. A better response will lead to better results.
Best wishes for a successful and prosperous 2017!
v
Bryan Rader is CEO of Bandwidth Consulting LLC, which
assists providers in the multifamily market. You can reach Bryan
at bryanjrader@yahoo.com or at 314-540-1114. Learn more at
www.bandwidthconsultingllc.com.
They Don't Care
About Your Numbers!
When residents experience poor internet service, telling them the network is just fine is
not a helpful response.
By Bryan Rader / Bandwidth Consulting LLC